kevin98208
Member
Upgraded from a Honda Shadow 750 to a 2008 FJR1300AE two weeks ago. I have ridden it to work and back a couple of times, but yesterday I got the approval from the wife to take a half-day trip! This is my first long ride as my Shadow made both arms and my butt numb after 50 miles. I had no real plan other than to ride. I left Seattle and drove down to Gig Harbor and out to 101 from Shelton to Kingston. I got to say, I love this bike. It is so much smoother than my Shadow, and so much more fun. 101 is a winding, twisty road and perfect to check out my bike. I have read over and over about the fabled “twisties”, and though I imagined I knew what they were, I actually had no idea. Now I do. Twisties are fun!!!!!! This bike can do so much more than I am capable of. I scrapped my pegs once and it scared the bejeezers out of me. I need more practice.
At one point I got stuck behind a slow truck, dropped a gear and started to pass. Just then an oncoming car rounds the bend about half a mile away. I give it some juice and Holy Cow!!!! This bike took off and I was past the truck in two seconds! I had plenty of time before the oncoming car ever came close. My Shadow would have left me sweating, this bike had me smiling!
I took a couple of breaks and had one 2-hour stretch in the saddle. Two hours without a break is a little too long for me. Even though I have a Rich’s Custom Seat (it came with the bike, so not custom for me), my butt became numb and my head sore. I took the ferry from Kingston back to Edmonds and headed home. All told, I put 275 miles on the bike and was home in time for dinner. That was an unbelievably fun ride. Now I just need to convince the wife to give me another one-day pass. (we have a toddler and a baby, so passes are very hard to come by.)
The only thing I need to improve is the windshield. I have the Yamaha OEM Touring shield, which just isn’t that great. It’s okay, but not great. All the way down and I get full blast straight to the helmet, rocking my head around. That is fun for a while, but I do need a break from it. All the way up is buffeting. Halfway gives me some quiet and some relief, but no “bubble of silence.”
At one point I got stuck behind a slow truck, dropped a gear and started to pass. Just then an oncoming car rounds the bend about half a mile away. I give it some juice and Holy Cow!!!! This bike took off and I was past the truck in two seconds! I had plenty of time before the oncoming car ever came close. My Shadow would have left me sweating, this bike had me smiling!
I took a couple of breaks and had one 2-hour stretch in the saddle. Two hours without a break is a little too long for me. Even though I have a Rich’s Custom Seat (it came with the bike, so not custom for me), my butt became numb and my head sore. I took the ferry from Kingston back to Edmonds and headed home. All told, I put 275 miles on the bike and was home in time for dinner. That was an unbelievably fun ride. Now I just need to convince the wife to give me another one-day pass. (we have a toddler and a baby, so passes are very hard to come by.)
The only thing I need to improve is the windshield. I have the Yamaha OEM Touring shield, which just isn’t that great. It’s okay, but not great. All the way down and I get full blast straight to the helmet, rocking my head around. That is fun for a while, but I do need a break from it. All the way up is buffeting. Halfway gives me some quiet and some relief, but no “bubble of silence.”
